Hawaii reports 168 new COVID-19 cases, 2 additional fatalities

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Health Department is reporting 168 new COVID-19 cases statewide Wednesday along with two additional fatalities.

Of the new cases, 154 are on Oahu, 13 are on the Big Island and one is on Molokai.

They push the statewide total for COVID-19 cases in the islands, to 11,689.

The triple-digit increase in new cases comes after three days of new case counts below 80 — and as Oahu prepares to ease restrictions on businesses and activities starting Thursday.

Health Department officials said the 168 cases were out of 2,716 tests conducted, a 6.1% positivity rate.

The seven-day average positivity rate for Oahu is 2.6%.

The two fatalities, both on Oahu, bring the official death toll from the virus in Hawaii to 122.

One of those who died was a man described as being in 80 or older who died in a hospital. The other was a woman in the 70- to 79-year-old age group who died at home.

However, that figure does not yet include at least 13 COVID-19 fatalities on the Big Island. The state Health Department has reported a delay in adding Hawaii County deaths to the statewide total.

Meanwhile, officials that 181 people are currently hospitalized statewide with COVID-19. Of those, 55 are in intensive care and 42 are on ventilators.

The island-by-island breakdown of cases is below: